


Santa Monica Happiness

by AlexHunt



Category: Red Carpet Diaries (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 08:51:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20739545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexHunt/pseuds/AlexHunt
Summary: Thomas and Alex head to the Santa Monica Pier for the day





	Santa Monica Happiness

**[[RCD Masterlist](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22964902)] || [[HWU Masterlist](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22962352)]**

\-----------------------

_Alex and Thomas walk hand in hand toward the Santa Monica Pier. _

“I know this isn’t your thing,” Alex squeezed Thomas’s hands. 

“That is an understatement, darling,” Thomas answered with a stern expression as he eyed the crowds of people all around them. 

“I appreciate that you are giving it a chance,” Alex smiled. 

“I may find the noise, the crowd, and the general setting exhausting, however, anytime with you is enjoyable,” Thomas responded. The corner of his mouth turning up ever so slightly. 

“Let’s start with something calm.” Alex pulled Thomas toward the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome. 

Alex’s face lit up when she saw the carousel. “It’s over 100 years old.” Alex marveled. “It was one of the first places I came when I got here. Chazz took me out for a day of more touristy fun and excitement, we came here as part of our adventure that day.”

“Somehow, I am not surprised.” Thomas guided Alex toward the carousel with his arm extended. “Shall we?

“Nothing would make me happier,” Alex smiled as she entered the carousel.

“Hmm,” Thomas pondered. “I shall endeavor to prove that statement inaccurate.”

Alex and Thomas took their place on the ride as the carousel went round and round. Alex couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. She had always loved the pure, simple pleasure that came from riding a carousel. But, this time was extra special because she could share it with Thomas. Despite his grumpy exterior, she knew he wasn’t hating it as much as he pretended to be.

As the ride came to a stop, Alex led Thomas to toward the vintage Ice Cream Parlor, where they got an old-fashion ice cream soda. 

_A little while later, as they continued their exploration of the pier. _

“Oh, let’s play a game!” Alex dragged Thomas toward a row of games. 

“You know these games are designed to be nearly impossible to win,” Thomas explained. 

Alex shrugged. “Why should that matter?”

“Why attempt something at which you know you can not succeed?” Thomas questioned. 

“It’s not about winning… it’s about _fun_. Fun is when you …okay, I won’t sing the Spongebob song but you may have to suffer through the episode at some point in the future. Fair warning.” Alex nudged Thomas teasingly. 

Thomas breathed deeply, trying not to roll his eyes. 

Alex continued. “It’s just part of the amusement park experience, you go on some rides, you eat deliciously unhealthy food that you don’t think too much about how its made, and you play no-win games. It’s just what you do. I don’t make the rules.”

Thomas began to protest but ultimately sighed, letting Alex have this one. “Fine. Let’s play ring toss.”

Thomas bought Alex a bucket of rings. She tossed one after another, getting so close, but ultimately not getting any rings on the glass bottle tops. 

Thomas listened to the imperfect rhythm of the clanking of the rings against the glass bottles that surrounded him. He took a small handful of rings out of the bucket and examined them closely. He held each carefully, exploring their weight and quality. After a few moments, he tossed the first ring. It ricocheted off the top of one of the bottles and bounced around before falling to the ground. The second grazed the top of the bottle and almost stayed on, but a frustrated child throwing from across the stand sent a ring flying that caused Thomas’s to bounce off the top. 

Thomas tried to block out the stifling amount of chaos around him. He carefully balanced the third ring between his fingers and sent it soaring down a row of bottles. It landed perfectly on a bottle a few rows in without bouncing off. 

“You did it! You won!!!” Alex exclaimed.

“Yes,” Thomas verified. 

“I thought you said these games are _unwinnable_?” Alex pressed.

“I said they are _nearly_ impossible to win,” Thomas began. “I’m a precisionist. I understand the world is imperfect and yet, I venture to bring as much order as I can by understanding things.” 

“You just happened to understand ring toss well enough to win instantly?” Alex asked.

“It’s all a matter of finding the precise physics behind it– from the way you hold the ring to how you spin it, even how the ring is weighted and where you stand in relation to the row of bottles,” Thomas began.

Alex gave him a knowing look.

“My parents took us to a carnival when I was 4. It was dreadful. I hated that I could not win any of the games. And yet they insisted on giving me consolation prizes, as if I could be so easily appeased,” Thomas scoffed. “I wanted to_ beat the game_ not get the prize. So, I taught myself how to master them. I set up variations of the games at home and tested different strategies until I found ones that worked. I refused to let them win. I actually think I ended up making money on it when kids in the neighborhood insisted on coming to play even though they refused to let me teach them how to play properly.”

Alex covered her mouth with her hand trying not to laugh. She could just picture Thomas as a child trying to best all the carnies. Before she could tease him about it, she noticed a little boy crying across the game tent. 

The game attended proudly presented Thomas with a very large and not that soft stuffed bear. “Thank you,” Thomas muttered.

Thomas turned to hand Alex the bear, but he also noticed the upset child who had seemingly lost the game. The boy was only a couple years older than he was when he had first lost the game all those years ago. 

When he turned back to Alex, she smiled and nodded to him. 

“Know that I won it for you,” Thomas stated.

“And that memory is all I need.” Alex held his face in her hands and kissed him softly. “_You_ are all I need.”

Thomas and Alex walked over to the crying child who was pressed against his mother’s side. “Can we give this to him?” Thomas mouthed to the boy’s mother. She smiled and nodded.

Thomas knelt down next to the little boy and placed the bear beside him. “Hi. My name’s Thomas. What’s your name?”

“Jacob.” The little boy sniffled and turned his face toward Thomas. 

“Jacob, sometimes you won’t win, but it’s important to learn from every opportunity. If I tell you a secret, do you think you can remember it?” Thomas questioned in the softest voice Alex had ever heard him use. The boy nodded silently. “Practice makes _progress_. Can you say that– Practice makes progress?”

The little boy repeated it back. Thomas smiled. “That means you keep trying no matter what and you _don’t _give up. Little by little you _will_ get better. The more you practice something, the more progress you make. Now, my friend here is going to need to learn about practicing. Do you think you can help him?”

Thomas moved the bear closer to the boy, who was only a few inches taller than the bear. The boy immediately hugged the stuffed animal as tight as he could. 

“Thank you,” the boy’s mother mouthed. 

As Thomas and Alex started to walk away, Jacob ran over and wrapped himself around Thomas’s legs, pulling him to an abrupt stop. “Thank you!”

Thomas stood speechless as the boy turned and ran back to his mom without another word. 

“I know you find children tedious, but you were great with him.” Alex took Thomas’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Thomas smiled, giving one last look at the boy wrapped around his new prize. “I suppose they’re not all terrible.” 

“I love you so much, Thomas Hunt,” Alex expressed in amazement.

“I love you, too.” He snaked his arms around her waist pulling her closer. “Know that you make me a better man, Alex. I’m different when you’re around.”

“I don’t plan on going anywhere.” Alex wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to meet hers. She kissed him deeply, savoring everything she felt for him at that moment. After a few moments, she pulled back and smiled. “How do you feel about the Ferris Wheel?”

“I will follow you where you lead, my darling” Thomas admitted.

Alex led them to the line for the Ferris Wheel. 

"You know we don’t have to wait in line,” Thomas suggested. 

“True, but no one likes people who cut lines,” Alex explained. “Plus, waiting in lines isn’t all bad.”

“How could waiting in line be anything but a waste of valuable time?” Thomas began to protest. 

Alex leaned into him, resting against his chest. She kissed his cheek, letting her lips hover over his skin. 

“I stand corrected.” Thomas held Alex in his arms as they waited patiently for their turn.

When it was time to board their car, Thomas helped Alex in. Then he turned to talk to the ride attendant for a moment before getting in as well. 

“The view is so beautiful,” Alex exclaimed as the Ferris Wheel reached the top.

“It is,” Thomas agreed, his attention fully on Alex. The breeze blew her hair around. Thomas pushed a strand back away from her face. “How did I do? Is this better than the carousel?”

“Huh?” Alex questioned shifting her attention to Thomas. 

“You said _nothing_ could make you happier than the carousel. I hoped a moment alone up here might exceed your expectations,” Thomas challenged.

“It’s amazing,” Alex looked around taking in all of the scene–the bustle of the crowd on the pier, the people on the beach, and the still calm ocean stretching out into the horizon. She could hear the couples in the cars nearby worrying about why the ride had come to a stop.

“How much longer do we have?” Alex asked, resting her head on Thomas’s shoulder.

“Unfortunately, probably only a few more moments. I imagine the rest of the line is getting restless,” Thomas replied. He kissed the top of Alex’s head. 

“Tonight has been perfect,” Alex confessed, snuggling tighter against Thomas. “You are perfect. Thank you.”

Thomas held Alex safely in his arms. “I would do anything to make you happy, Alex.”

“I know,” Alex admitted. “As I would for you.”


End file.
